Last Sunday, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool tied Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, 1-1, in a cracker of a Premier League match at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium. The two teams are separated by one point in the league table with 10 matches to play. To make things even more potentially epic, Arsenal is tied with Liverpool and technically atop the table on point differential.
In late January, Klopp announced his intent to leave Liverpool at the end of the season after 8 and a half years with the club. During that span, Klopp won a Premier League title, a Champions League trophy, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. He will go down as one of the most beloved managers in club history, as much for his Teutonic Care Bear personality and rollicking, fast-paced, pressing football as for his results.
@meninblazers JURGEN KLOPP GIVES THE BEST HUGS. "It's very important that you're empathic. That you try to understand the people around you and give real support to the people around you." #LFC #Liverpool #Klopp ♬ original sound - Men in Blazers
While Liverpool fans revere Klopp, one imagines that they wonder what might have been if Guardiola hadn't been at City at the same time (and the Emirati-owned club hadn't spent prolifically - and allegedly illegally - on amassing exceptional talent). Guardiola has been in Manchester since 2016, and won five Premier League crowns, two FA Cups, four League Cups, a Champions League title, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup.
If the results on the field in England were tilted towards Guardiola, the two managers are actually evenly matched across their careers. Over the course of their careers, the pair have met 29 times (Before England, Klopp coached Borussia Dortmund in Germany against Guardiola's Bayern Munich). Klopp's teams have won 12, Guardiola's 11, with six draws. No manager in world football has beaten Guardiola more times than Klopp.
There are rare occasions in sport and, really, in any endeavor, where rivals compete intensely while maintaining great personal respect and in doing both, elevate their profession. Klopp and Guardiola have undeniably changed English football from a smashmouth war of attrition to an attractive, pressing, intense competition.
And the two know it and respect the others' contribution to the game. Klopp recently said of Guardiola, "I knew 3,000 players who were better than me but I still loved the game. It never frustrated me, he made me a better manager. I know I am not bad but he is the best."
For his part, Guardiola admitted, "Personally he has been my biggest rival from when he was at Dortmund and I was at Bayern Munich. He will be missed, personally I will miss. I am pleased because without him I will sleep a little bit better the night before we play against Liverpool! But I wish him all the best."
The two exchanged words and a warm embrace after Sunday's classic. We won't likely see a better rivalry any time soon.
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14 comments:
lloyd cole and the commotions
Cool post. I watched the match and saw the postgame embrace but had no idea about these coaches’ massive stats.
recency bias notwithstanding, they'll go down as two of the giants of the game.
I don't have an EPL team but I've grown to really like Liverpool over the past few years. Mostly due to their style of play.
agreed. they're my side piece, because of the style of play and because they're my daughter's favorite team. and because they're not man u, man city, arsenal, or chelsea.
also, i can't believe i haven't given you an epl team. now i have work to do.
tribe women's hoops are the 5 seed in the caa tournament. they play #13 hofstra tomorrow for a berth in the quarters. tribe, y'all.
aaron rodgers is an insufferable douchebag and a sandy hook truther? who knew?
People who watched that ESPN clip earlier this year.
Folks who’ve heard him opine through the years.
His friends and acquaintances.
His family.
His plus-ones.
Anyone paying attention.
RFK Fucking Jr.
People not in a coma.
Vikings.
Bears.
Lions.
Oh my.
Gun-waving, doomsday-prepping lunatics who share a credo.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Packers.
F-packers.
Crackers.
People paying attention.
Gheorghies.
Porgies.
Puddin pies.
Jets.
Nets.
Mets.
Alouettes.
Charcoal briquettes.
Service pets.
Trumpies.
Plumpies.
Dummies on gummies.
Anyone.
Everyone.
Me.
Them.
Basically everyone but you.
But now you know.
i’m pleased my faux-surprise triggered this kind of effort. what can i say to get a similar response in re: gheorghemas?
Edgerrin James’ kid currently playing very well for Cincinnati against Kansas in the big 12 tournament. Just in case you want to feel old.
Sorry, robbie. I sensed the sarc, but too many people don’t have it figured yet so I treated you like one of them.
And Mark, I think — but don’t know — that I’m numbing to the feeling old lately. Too many times I’m reminded of an episode of which I have crystal clear memories and then note that it was 30 or 40 years ago. You’re one of my newest gheorgie friends and yet I think of antics that go back a dozen years or more. Shrugging is my new shock.
Wait is there a shrugger now? I’m too old to learn new stuff like that.
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